Friday 17 April 2015

Where is a quote that shows Tom Buchanan being a jerk in Chapter 2?

Honestly, it is difficult to read any chapter of The Great Gatsby and not find several quotes that show Tom Buchanan is a jerk.  Perhaps the worst thing he does in Chapter 2 is break Myrtle Wilson's nose. 


Tom wants to show off his mistress, Myrtle Wilson, to Nick, and they go to the Wilson's house and garage, where he insults Mr. Wilson and commands Myrtle to get on the train to New York.  They...

Honestly, it is difficult to read any chapter of The Great Gatsby and not find several quotes that show Tom Buchanan is a jerk.  Perhaps the worst thing he does in Chapter 2 is break Myrtle Wilson's nose. 


Tom wants to show off his mistress, Myrtle Wilson, to Nick, and they go to the Wilson's house and garage, where he insults Mr. Wilson and commands Myrtle to get on the train to New York.  They meet up again in New York, where Tom buys Myrtle a dog and then they all proceed to the apartment Tom has leased for Myrtle and himself, their "love nest," where they are joined by Myrtle's sister Catherine and a neighboring couple, the McKees. Everyone gets quite drunk at this party, and Tom and Myrtle have a falling out.  Tom is angry with Myrtle because he wants her to stay in her sexy mistress role and not discuss with him his marriage to Daisy. 


Tom tells her she has no right to even say Daisy's name, and she screams "Daisy" repeatedly.  Then,



Making a short deft movement, Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand" (41).



This breaks up the party. The guests leave, with Myrtle "the despairing figure on the couch bleeding fluently" (42) and Nick leaves Tom and Myrtle to go wait for the next train home.


Tom is a racist, ignorant, unintelligent, domineering, and cheating character.  If he has any redeeming virtues in this novel, I must have missed them. Daisy's remaining with him is a triumph of class solidarity over love and common sense. 


2 comments:

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